When I was a kid I simply loved my Hot Wheels cars. I had hundreds of the little buggers and truth be told they help me become the car lover that I am today. One thing that always escaped me though were the race track sets. For some reason it just never seemed like I had enough track to build my visions. I would stay awake at night and dream of putting together a scaled down quarter mile drag strip or a replica of Daytona Speedway. Unfortunately though those dreams never came to fruition. Apparently though the guy in the next video had the same dreams I did because it seems as though he’s built what is literally, the coolest Hot Wheels track I’ve ever seen. We’ve got multiple loops, banked turns and more importantly, about a dozen engines to keep those suckers rolling. All in all I’d say he did one helluva’ job… I’m just sorry I didn’t think of it first.

Source: Youtube.com

Why yes, that is a functional PDK gearbox biult from Legos...

Porsche 911 Turbos are impressive automobiles, with modern variants blending Grand Touring comfort with blistering acceleration and surprisingly agile handling. Early cars (the Porsche 930, to be exact) demanded a driver’s full attention at all times; lift mid-corner, and snap oversteer was the result. Get on the gas mid-corner, and snap oversteer was the result. Turn in with anything less than robot-like precision, and (you guessed it) snap oversteer was the result. In capable hands, the cars were amazingly quick but unforgiving, and I’d guess there are less than 100 drivers on the planet who could competently extract the last bit of performance out of a 930 without crashing.

As impressive as all the 911 Turbos have been, none is on par with the example in the video below. Scratchbuilt from Lego pieces, the car has some 3,500 parts and includes a working handbrake, door locks, lights, disc brakes and a retractable roof. Not impressed? The car also has a working engine and a functional PDK dual-clutch gearbox, complete with reverse gear. Even the car’s wireless remote control was built from Lego components.

The builder has a website, called Sheepo’s Garage, if you want to see his other works (including a Viper RT/10). Personally, I’m glad he’s crafting functional Lego masterpieces instead of building car bombs, because I suspect he’d make one hell of an evil genius.

Source: Autoevolution

Being a grown up doesn’t mean that you’ve lost your love for the toys of your youth. Sure it would be a bit odd if your wife caught you playing with an old G.I. Joe in the backyard, but what if you were able to take playing with toys to the next level. I mean what if you could create the ultimate toy box right in your own home. Performance artist Chris Burden did something similar when he created “Metropolis II”, a super-sized hot wheels track that’s 28-feet wide and over 10-feet tall in his studio. With over 1,100 cars constantly circulating the tracks 18 traffic lanes, the structure is more like something you’d find in a science fiction movie than in an artists studio. There is also a plethora of fully functional railways as well as a bunch of highly detailed sky scrapers. The cost for the structure was in the millions, which, according to Burden, was exactly what “Metropolis II” sold for. Who says you can’t be a kid again…

The great thing about toys like Hot Wheels cars is that they have the ability to stimulate the imagination at a very young age. Cars like the Deora, the Sizzler series from the 1970′s and the original Twin Mill from 1969 have helped generations of car enthusiasts get their wings. Some of the cars, like the aforementioned Twin Mill are so cool that I suppose it was only a matter of time before they were actually built. What you are seeing here is the real life version of the original design that debuted in 1969. It comes complete with a pair of blown 502 cu inch big block Chevy’s that produce a total of 1,400 horsepower. It’s low slung, raw and the fantasy of every 11 year old kid out there. Obviously the Twin Mill wouldn’t make the best daily driver, but for a weekend cruiser, hell why not. Click through for the video.

I wonder if Steve McQueen realized that he was going to become the new standard for “cool” when he was alive. Seriously, it seems that everything this guy did turned to gold. From a motor sports perspective you got to give him full props, as not only did he do all of his own stunt driving, but he raced cars and motorcycles as well. From what’s been said he was also pretty dapper with the ladies as well. Just about everyone tries to honor Steve McQueen at some point or another, and why not, he’s still a super marketable commodity even though he’s been dead and buried for quite sometime. The latest McQueen-esq pieces of merchandise to hit the market are the TAG Heuer Meridist phone series. The Gulf Meridist was inspired by Steve McQueen’s character in the 1971 film “Le Mans,” and features Gulf Oil’s signature light blue and orange color scheme. There’s no doubt that this is a pretty piece of electronic equipment, at least it is until the next version comes out. Either way though, it’s good to see that there are companies out there who still see fit to honor the, “King of Cool”.

Source: BornRich.com

When I was a kid, any toy car that you didn’t have to push was high tech. And the coolest go-anywhere cars were Stompers. Two speeds, four-wheel drive, interchangeable bodies and tires, and attitude a plenty.

I had all but washed away the memory of Stompers trucks until my son received a motorized toy dump truck a few weeks back. The thing was four-wheel drive and had a switch that decoupled the motor from the wheels to allow for freewheeling action. Flipping that switch unleashed a flood of recollection. Saturday-morning commercials. Battery-powered trucks. Foam tires. Stompers.

I’ll admit that I lusted after many toys—the result of brain-worm commercials interspersed among my favorite morning and afternoon animated shows. But I remember especially wanting Stompers. I got a few, eventually, and they were everything I hoped for and more. The little things were powered by a single AA battery and could climb over pretty much any obstacle. And when the battery ran out, you could always flip the switch and fall back on pushing the them and making engine noises.

Stompers were released in 1980 and were produced for more than a decade by several different manufacturers. The first line of Stompers were produced by Schaper and had a direct-drive transmission without any freewheeling. Stomper IIs, the model I’m most familiar with, had two forward speeds and freewheeling. There were also big rigs, construction vehicles, tanks, and various other awesome military vehicles.

After I had abandoned Stompers for remote-control cars, Tyco took over and created amphibious Stompers. The brand was sold to Dreamworks and then Peachtree Playthings before almost disappearing altogether.

Today Tinco Toys still makes Stompers and you can get them at Toys “R” Us and online. I know with a certainty, that my son will be getting a few Stompers for his birthday. And maybe, just maybe, I’ll share them with him.

Source: Stomper 4×4

I’m not so sure that as a kid I’d want my toy cars talking to me. I mean hell, there’s got to be something left to the imagination right? This is Mattel’s new 1:55 scale version of Lightening McQueen for the upcoming “Cars 2″ movie from Pixar and Walt Disney Studio’s. It’s actually pretty amazing in the fact that not only do the eyes in the windshield move back and forth, but it also has a fully functional mouth that opens and closes. He’s also got working headlights and performs tricks like loopty-loops, figure-8′s and circles. Now while I think this is all well and good from a technology standpoint, I’m just curious as to what ever happened to just rolling a few Matchbox cars around on the floor and calling it a day. Who knows, maybe it’s me and I’m just getting old, but the last thing I’d want as a kid is Owen Wilson talking to me day in and day out while I’m playing with my cars. Click through for the video.

No I’m not off my rocker and no I’m not in a bad mood. It’s just that when your a car guy you want every piece of 4-wheeled machinery that you can get your grubby little hands on. Sites like eBay and Bring A Trailer are constantly enticing me to purchase things with money I don’t have. Since this is Queens, NY I am sure I can find an Uncle Vito somewhere that would lend me the money, but odds are the vig would be astronomical and since I use my kneecaps daily I’d prefer not to go down that road. The issue is that most of the stuff I want is old. That means as a general rule you need to factor in double what you paid for the car just to keep it running. Porsche 914′s, old BMW 3.0csi Coupe’s and evil mid-60′s box Chevy Nova’s are always taunting me and it’s getting harder and harder to resist. Who knows, maybe it’s cabin fever or maybe it’s just that I haven’t driven my hot rods in 3 months. All I know is that if I don’t get into something soon with a carburetor, Uncle Vito may just be getting a phone call.

By the way – can you fit handicap controls to a ’65 box Nova? I think I may need them.

The Lotus Type 125. Image: Lotus

Thirty years ago, Lotus’ Colin Chapman watched an apparently fearless British driver rise through the F3 ranks. Chapman liked what he saw, and offered a contract to the driver, who was older than most just entering the big leagues; hence, Nigel Mansell’s F1 career was born. Mansell spent the 1980 to 1984 seasons with Lotus, before going on to race with Williams and Ferrari in F1, then later with Newman Haas in the U.S. CART IndyCar World Series. Mansell was fast in nearly everything he drove, and is universally praised as being one of the top 50 Grand Prix drivers of all time. For 2011, Mansell is again back with Lotus, though not in the capacity you’re probably imagining.

Mansell has been named as one of the test drivers for Lotus’ new Type 125 track car. Designed as a no-compromise track day weapon, the Type 125 is an open wheel race car packing a 640 horsepower Cosworth V8 beneath the rear cowl. Like F1 cars, the Type 125 will use a six speed semi-automatic gearbox with a steering wheel mounted paddle shift. A variety of liveries will be available from Lotus, or customers can provide their own requests for paint and graphics. A spec series for the Type 125, called the Exos Experience by Lotus, ensures that Type 125 owners will get training on car setup from Lotus engineers, as well as trackside concierge service at European venues. You might guess that the Type 125 is an expensive track toy, and you’d be correct: the price of admission is roughly $1 million, but that includes a season in the Exos Experience series.

Mansell joins fellow test drivers Jean Alesi and James Rossiter in shaking down the new car at the Yas Marina Circuit in Abu Dhabi this week. The drivers will be on hand to meet with potential customers as well, many of whom will be eager to get advice from the former F1 champion. I’m not sure that I’d add “car salesman” to Mansell’s resume just yet, but his presence trackside will certainly help sell a few more Type 125s. Besides, Abu Dhabi may be the only place on the globe where a million dollars for a hobby seems like a reasonable expenditure.

Source: Lotus

Part of Forbes' collection. Photo: Sotheby's

Do you still have the toys you played with as a kid? Better yet, do you have the toys your father and grandfather played with as kids? Hopefully, they kept the original boxes and didn’t abuse them too much, because old metal toys are starting to be worth serious money. Consider this: a collection of tin toy motorcycles that once belonged to publisher Malcolm Forbes just sold at a Sotheby’s auction for $15,000. If you factor in all the Forbes collection toys that sold at auction, the total price was $2.3 million, including $194,500 for a 3 foot long replica of the ocean liner Lusitania. I’m not saying your Transformers will fund your retirement, but I’m not saying they won’t, either.

Although many items in the Forbes collection dated from the 1920s and 1930s, some were as recent as the 1980s. Japanese metal toys from the 1960s and 1970s, mostly robots, cars or airplanes, are beginning to approach stupid money in value, especially if you have the original packaging. I had a bunch of these as a kid, since they were cheap and readily available at the local newsstand, but none of them survived my reckless youth. What better way to stop an invading robot than with explosives? Enough firecrackers and M-80s always seemed to do the trick, but now I wish I’d have taken better care of my stuff. Back then they were toys, but now they’re “failed investments”.

Source: Autoevolution